Kraus, MHR Team Anxious To Return To Gateway
• Heading To St. Louis-Area Track Where He Won At Regional Level
ROSEVILLE, Calif. (Aug. 17, 2021) – The NASCAR Camping World Truck Series heads this week to World Wide Technology Raceway at Gateway, where McAnally-Hilgemann Racing driver Derek Kraus scored a major victory while competing in NASCAR’s regional level.
Kraus, who drives the MHR No. 19 Gates Hydraulics/ NAPA Belts & Hoses Toyota Tundra, won a NASCAR K&N Pro Series East-West combination race at the St. Louis-area track in 2018. He returned the following year to notch a second-place finish in the prestigious combo event at the 1.25-mile track.
Kraus would like to add to his success at Gateway with a Camping World Truck Series win on Friday in the Toyota 200 presented by CK Power.
Although he experienced success there at the K&N level, he was not as fortunate last year as a rookie in the truck series. He battled handling issues that resulted in a 13th-place finish. In returning to Gateway this year, Kraus and his MHR team are working hard to have a fast Tundra and be in contention for the win.
The MHR team will arrive in the St. Louis area early for a special pre-race celebration at McKay Auto Group’s NAPA AUTO PARTS store in Fairview Heights on Thursday. Kraus and team co-owner Bill McAnally will be on hand for a special meet-and-greet and autograph signing from 1:30 to 2:30 p.m., with the No. 19 Gates Hydraulics/ NAPA Belts & Hoses Toyota Tundra on display.
NAPA AUTO PARTS will be well represented at the track on Friday, with a special group of guests from McKay Auto Group, NGK and BBB Industries set to receive a VIP experience. Promotion of NAPA Belts and Hoses/Gates Hydraulics has been coordinated by Mike Gordon, Business Development Manager, NAPA Heating/Cooling.
The Camping World Truck Series event is part of big race weekend at World Wide Technology Raceway at Gateway that also includes the NTT IndyCar Series in action.
Derek Kraus – About this week
What’s your outlook for the Gateway race?
“I’m anxious to get back to Gateway. We got a big win there in K&N in 2018 and came close in 2019. I’m confident the MHR team will have a Tundra capable of going to Victory Lane.”
NASCAR Camping World Truck Series Event:
Race: Toyota 200 presented by CK Power (160 Laps) (Race 16 of 22) Aug. 20, 2021
Location: World Wide Technology Raceway at Gateway, Madison, Ill. (1.25-mile oval)
Television: FS1 on Aug. 20 at 9 p.m. ET
Derek Kraus
No. 19 Gates Hydraulics/ NAPA Belts & Hoses Toyota Tundra
Age: 19
Hometown: Stratford, Wis.
Career series stats: 43 starts, 2 poles, 4 top fives, 19 top 10s
Most recent series finish: 21st – Watkins Glen (8/7/21)
Best career series finish: 2nd – Darlington (9/6/20)
Last series finish at Gateway: 13th (8/30/20)
2021 Series stats:
Races: 15 starts, 2 poles, 1 top five, 4 top 10s
Laps completed: 1,639/1,875
Laps led: 58
Series standings: 13th